Should I go completely vegan?
Those of you who follow my posts know that I've been a vegetarian for about 16 years. That makes me a veg for more than half of my life. I initially made the switch because I can't phantom eating the flesh of a murdered animal. Of course, it also helps that I never liked the taste of meat.
Recently, I've been wondering if I should go completely vegan. There is only one thing stopping me: cheese.
When I became vegetarian, I didn't even know vegans existed. I never realized that many dairy animals are abused and live in inhumane conditions. Those thoughts never crossed my mind. All I wanted to do was stop eating things that were slaughtered for my meal.
Now that I'm older, I'm more aware of the things around me. Even though I still consume some dairy products (mainly cheese), I do my best to pick products that are produced locally. I want to make sure that the animals are loved and cared for by their owners. I know that many dairy farmers treat their cows like household pets; however, many large, big-name farmers neglect and abuse those creatures.
If I eat an egg, it comes from my in-laws, who give their chickens the best life ever. Seriously, I would love to be one of their chickens. They get to roam all day long, while being fed only the best grain. Plus, they don't kill any of them. Those chickens are a part of their family.
Do I really need cheese and eggs? No, of course I don't. So, what's keeping me from making the jump to veganism? Perhaps I'm just too lazy. Being vegetarian in a meat-eating world is difficult at times. How much harder would it be if I were vegan?
I have to stop posing these questions. Instead, I should do it for my body and mind. I would be healthier if I stopped consuming dairy products. They do contain a lot of saturated fat and cholesterol. I would feel better morally if I never had any of those products again. Unless I'm milking a cow on my own property, do I really know how it is treated?
To be vegan or not to be vegan? That is the question.
College Bowl Picture: Pac-12
Pac-12 Bowl Tie-ins
- Rose Bowl
- Alamo Bowl
- Holiday Bowl
- Sun Bowl
- Las Vegas Bowl
- Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl
- New Mexico Bowl
Upper Crust
Oregon (10-1)
Stanford (9-2)
UCLA (9-2)
- The Ducks are 10-1, but need help to get to the Rose Bowl. Stanford will win the North Division with a win over UCLA, thus earning the right to play in the Pac-12 title game against ... UCLA. Confusing enough? If the Bruins win the first time, then Oregon wins the North (assuming the Ducks defeat Oregon State, which is not a given). If Stanford wins the first game, then the Cardinal play UCLA again, and the winner of the rematch goes to the Rose. Either way, Oregon will probably head to a Bowl Championship Series game. If things fall into place, then the Rose, but if not, then probably the Fiesta. That game would probably pit the two teams headed for the title game until their upset losses last week: Oregon vs. Kansas State. The odd man out from this group will probably hit the Alamo or Holiday bowl.
Middle Class
Oregon State (8-2)
USC (7-4)
Washington (7-4)
Arizona (7-4)
- It looks like the Pac-12 could run out of bids and need to poach one from another conference, but, don't worry, there will be plenty available (see the ACC article). Oregon State and USC both have huge games remaining. The Beavers play the Civil War game against Oregon and USC will try to knock off new No. 1 Notre Dame. Their bowl-attractiveness will depend on the outcome of those games, and also what happens with Stanford. The Cardinal could be 11-2 and Rose-bound, or could be 9-3 and mucking around with the rest. Regardless, some pretty good Pac-12 teams will be slipping to the lesser bowls.
Just Scraping By
Arizona State (6-5)
- The Sun Devils have their home-state showdown with Arizona left, but both teams are already bowl-eligible. A loss would put Arizona State in the New Mexico Bowl against a team from the Mountain West.
College Bowl Picture: Big XII
Big XII Bowl Tie-ins
- Fiesta Bowl
- Cotton Bowl
- Alamo Bowl
- Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl
- Holiday Bowl
- Mieneke Car Care Bowl
- Pinstripe Bowl
- Heart of Dallas Bowl
Upper Crust
Kansas State (10-1)
Oklahoma (8-2)
Texas (8-2)
- The Wildcats muffed their national title-game chances with a blowout loss to Baylor. They are still favored to get the Fiesta Bowl berth, but must get by Texas. If K-State falls again, then Oklahoma will sneak in. And ... don't look now, but ... if the Longhorns knock off the Wildcats ... yes, Texas could snag an at-large spot in the Bowl Championship Series. Actually, the Sooners could have a shot at that, too, if they finish with wins over Oklahoma State and TCU. If not, then slot the Longhorns and Sooners into the Cotton and Alamo games.
Middle Class
Oklahoma State (7-3)
Texas Tech (7-4)
- Assuming no at-large BCS bid for the Sooners or Longhorns, then these two teams will slot into the Holiday and Buffalo Wild Wings bowls. If the Big XII does snag a second BCS slot, then one of these teams would presumably bump up to a higher bowl, probably the Alamo. That being said, they easily could be leap-frogged by one of the teams below.
Just Scraping By
TCU (6-4)
Iowa State (6-5)
West Virginia (5-5)
Baylor (5-5)
- Granted, if TCU finishes with wins over Texas and Oklahoma, then they'll be in a different category. But that seems unlikely. It's more plausible that they'll finish 6-6. West Virginia plays Iowa State and then Kansas. No telling what the former national-title contenders will play like now that their season has collapsed, but two wins would certainly move them up the pecking order. Same for Baylor, coming off that huge upset of Kansas State. The Bears play Texas Tech then Oklahoma State. Of course, a pair of losses for both teams and they're 5-7 and staying home. If all nine of these teams get to six wins, then the Big XII will end up stealing an at-large spot from another conference. It looks like the ACC, at least, will leave plenty available.
College Bowl Picture: Big Ten
Big Ten Bowl Tie-ins
- Rose Bowl
- CapitalOne Bowl
- Outback Bowl
- Gator Bowl
- Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl
- Mieneke Car Care Bowl
- Heart of Dallas Bowl
- Little Ceasars Bowl
Upper Crust
Nebraska (9-2)
Wisconsin (7-4)
- Of course, Ohio State (11-0) would ordinarily be here, but the Buckeyes are ineligible. Thus, Wisconsin will play Nebraska (probably) in the Big Ten title game, and could grab the Rose Bowl berth that way. The Huskers have the inside track, though. Even if the Badgers drop to 8-5 with a title-game loss, they still figure to make one of the three Florida bowls that make up the 2-4 slots.
Middle Class
Michigan (8-3)
Northwestern (8-3)
- Michigan is a lock for one of the Florida games (CapitalOne, Outback or Gator). And, so is Northwestern. The third slot would go to the Nebraska-Wisconsin loser, presumably.
Just Scraping By
Minnesota (6-5)
Michigan State (5-6)
Purdue (5-6)
- The Golden Gophers are already eligible, and figure to slot in the Buffalo Wild Wings or Mieneke Car Care Bowl. They can deny Michigan State a slot, as the Spartans must defeat Minnesota to gain eligibility after a disappointing season. If the Spartans win, they'll get into the other game. Purdue needs a win over Indiana. If they get it, they'll slip into the Heart of Dallas Bowl.
Coconut oil may be beneficial to your teeth
I'm sick of getting cavities. Thankfully, it's been a year since I last had one, but I do get my teeth cleaned in another month. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they don't find any early signs of decay. What's even worse is that I have stronger teeth than most adults. I can only imagine what it's like to have real dental problems.
Luckily, scientists are always looking for new ways to prevent cavities. What is the latest discovery? Coconut oil. That's right, an oil that many of us have in our cupboard may help fight cavities. Personally, I avoid coconut oil. Don't get me wrong, I love the taste, but it's just too high in saturated fat for me to use it daily. If it helps my teeth, however, I may reconsider.
How does it work? Scientists have learned that coconut oil has antibacterial properties. Specifically, it is capable of killing certain strains of Streptococcus, which is the primary bacteria responsible for tooth decay.
Now before you start gargling with coconut oil, there are a few things you should know. First, it doesn't work in its original state. The coconut oil must be partially digested in order for it to kill the bacteria. Scientists found out that a enzyme-treated version of the oil works the best.
Second, it has not been approved for the reduction of cavities. Until it undergoes further testing, I advise you to continue with a routine of brushing, flossing and rinsing. You need to wait until the ADA puts the stamp of approval on this all-natural ingredient before you trust it with your teeth.
So if you struggle with cavities, you probably have too much bacteria being produced in your mouth. Maybe coconut oil is the solution you've been looking for. Keep your eyes and ears open for the latest developments.
College Bowl Picture: ACC
ACC Bowl Tie-ins
- Orange Bowl
- Chik-Fil-A Bowl
- Russell Athletic Bowl
- Sun Bowl
- Belk Bowl
- Music City Bowl
- Independence Bowl
- Military Bowl
- Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl
Upper Crust
Florida State (10-1)
Clemson (10-1)
Georgia Tech (6-5)
- Wait. Why Georgia Tech? Because the Yellow Jackets are headed to the ACC title game against Florida State, even though there's a good chance they'll be 6-6 (they play Georgia). An upset win for Georgia Tech sends the Jackets to the Orange Bowl as conference champs. Of course, it's much more likely that Florida State will be there. Clemson will have a good shot at an at-large bid to a Bowl Championship Series game if it can beat cross-state rival South Carolina.
Middle Class
No one really.
Just Scraping By
N.C. State (6-5)
Duke (6-5)
- The Wolfpack had the honor of derailing Florida State from the national championship picture, but otherwise they've been pretty mediocre. Nevertheless, if Clemson snags a BCS at-large berth, then N.C.State will have the ACC's second-best slot (Chik-Fil-A Bowl). Duke ends up in the Russell Athletic Bowl or the Sun Bowl, or could drop to the Belk Bowl if Georgia Tech slips in there. But the Yellow Jackets are likely to end up 6-7. Under the obscure bowl-eligibility rules, they could still make it, but it's unlikely. Either way, the ACC will leave a handful of its slots unfilled.
Chocolate and sex: A dirty combination
If you are like most grown adults, you are not having enough sex. Unfortunately, there are many times in recent months that I fall into this category, too. Sometimes we have to take it upon ourselves to find creative ways to spice things up under the covers.
As a self-proclaimed chocolate addict, I enjoy bringing chocolate into the bedroom. If you don't mind getting your white sheets a little dirty, it can really help take your sex life to the next level.
We all know that chocolate is an aphrodisiac. Dark chocolate is especially known for making woman more aroused in the bedroom. Of course, you would have to eat a lot of chocolate to get the desired effect.
Instead letting chocolate melt on your tongue, why not let it melt on your body? Men love to bring food into the bedroom. Make chocolate become a method of foreplay. It's tasty for both parties involved.
Use ice cream toppings, such as chocolate syrup or hot fudge, and smear it across your loved one's body. If you don't have any of these items available, melt your favorite chocolate bar in the microwave. Don't let it get too hot, or you might burn yourself! (Unless that's what you're into...hey, I'm not judging). You can use your fingers or a paintbrush to create designs on the delicate parts of your skin.
The comes the fun part - clean-up! We can't leave chocolate on your skin all day. The best way to remove messy chocolate from your body is with a tongue. Let your lover lick the chocolate off your skin. I'm sure you will enjoy this part the most. As they are cleaning you up, I'm sure you will start to engage in other activities.
At the conclusion of your rendezvous, take a shower together. It's a great way to finish a sensual encounter, and you will be clean for the remainder of the day. Notice that I said day and not night. Sex should be spontaneous at all hours of the day.
Enjoy your chocolate adventure together! Remember to only do this once in a while. You don't want your sex life to be too predictable.
Things to try
If you are cooking Thanksgiving dinner this year, you might be nervous. If this is your first time, you may not know what you are doing, but practice makes perfect.
Few of us are great cooks when we begin. It often takes years of practice to learn how to do this. Cooking, in a sense, is a form of art. It requires knowledge, creativity and the ability to understand how to do basic things in the kitchen. The only real way to learn how to cook is to do it.
Some people will look up tips online to find out how to cook. This is a great way to learn various techniques of cooking and this can help a lot. Other people will take classes. You may have never considered taking a cooking course, but this is actually a really great thing to do. Most community colleges offer cooking courses and you may be able to find these in other businesses and places.
By taking a cooking course, you will learn about one or more techniques of cooking. These classes are actually very fun too. My husband took a class on making sushi a few years back and he is excellent at this. He enjoyed the class tremendously and was left with a gift of knowing how to do this. This is something he uses to impress our friends and he enjoys making people happy through the food he serves. You can learn too, by taking a class or just by trying to cook something new.
Why the half story?
I touched loosely on this once but not enough to ever fully get into the details I needed to, so this fail is dedicated to what point of view and limited scope we are taught without being educated on the full scope. Of course, I'm talking about Thanksgiving.
Oh yes, now they teach that there was more than one event and no one event can be placed as “the one,” but as young ones, we are taught of the valiant pilgrims fleeing religious oppression and founding the Plymouth rock colony. Sure, it's all well and good but how well do people, moreover kids, even understand what history teaches? Or is it more important to give half truths?
The wars between two different branches of Christendom in the UK, namely the Protestant and Catholics is well known to most of us. Too few however understand just how heavily this plagued the monarchy. “Well this is 'Merica not the UK stupid.” Alright, except there was no U.S. then this is where WE came from.
This is STILL our history. From 1455–1485, there was rampant turmoil between the Lancasters and York over political ideas, ideas of class and division of wealth and power over the British empire. These also carried with them the hand of different religious views as well.
While in the end of the wars of the roses saw the rise of the Tudor Dynasty, it did not fully end there, Henry the 8th inherited many of the old feuds as he applied sweeping changes. One was to separate the Church of England from the Roman Catholic Church his father had made deals with.
Yet he was very tolerant of others and actually was quite welcoming to seeing churches adapt and adopt facets of each other. This did not sit well with a rather strict, puritan rivals. His children also inherited this, Elisabeth and her cousin Mary.
At the end of the day the “oppression, prosecution” being fled from as we are taught was not really there beyond a rage quit from several failed generations attempting to enforce strict puritan take-overs of the Monarchy. While the Rule of James the 1st Was indeed one filled with horrors (again from those who actually know history), the motion had been set long before the actual landing.
IT was never an issue of freedom. It was a matter of control. Was I as detailed as I think I should have been? No, it's a blog, and to be honest, I'd much rather people take the initiative and learn more on their own. I'm fine with teaching a symbolic theme, such as togetherness. It's another thing when history gets skewed.
Life breathers
It's not a term heard often, more so in an age of what I call “stat whoring and hard facts, less pure creativity." Like many facets of life now, younger generations are showing an ability to process so much more. The biggest problem being that so much of the congestive skill to make leaps and "create from nothing" are lacking. It's a big reason the sciences and engineering are falling at scary rates. Yet even in an RP world, this is showing up.
Too many are all about technicalities and little things, but in the process, worlds are stale, sterile and lacking soul. Same with many characters - they are just characters after all right? I have been called a life breather. And many of those around me have been called as such, in virtually all forms of RP, be it table top to hanging out in the slippery slope cantina in TOR. And you know what, I take pride in that.
What is a life breather? Life breathers are the ones who focus on creating a vibrant breathing reality. Sights, scent, sound, they want you to FEEL where you are, to conjure up sensations in one's mind to help give breath to the setting. As far as characters go? They are given a free pass.
They develop, they form their own unique traits and personalities sometimes totally conflict with the creators. They often stop becoming "characters" and are more independent souls who have their own thoughts and real feelings. They just get stuck needing a translator: their creators.
It's something some may look at oddly in newer generations, but more a relic of a past, and to be honest, without the breathers it's hard to feel at "home" in other realities. I say the younger generations should let go of the control a little, and just let things go to chance.